Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 11.8–13.8 in
30–35 cm - Wingspan
- 21.7–23.2 in
55–59 cm - Weight
- 15.9–19.4 oz
450–550 g
Other Names
- Guillemot du Pacifique (French)
- (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The Pigeon Guillemot is one of the few members of the auk and puffin family to lay two eggs. Nearly all others lay only one egg, but the three guillemots of the genus Cepphus and the four murrelets in the genus Synthliboramphus usually lay two.
- The Pigeon Guillemot feeds in shallower waters than most auks, puffins, or murrelets. Although it is known to dive to depths greater than 45 meters (148 feet), it feeds best in waters of only 10 to 20 meters (33-66 feet) deep.
- The Pigeon Guillemot often scales vertical rock faces by some vigorous flapping of its wings combined with the use of the sharp claws on its webbed feet.
- The oldest recorded Pigeon Guillemot was at least 15 years, 2 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Washington.
Habitat
Ocean
Nests on rocky coastlines; forages in near-shore waters.
Food
Fish
Fish, crustaceans, and marine invertebrates.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–2 eggs
- Egg Description
- Pale cream, may be tinged greenish or bluish, with large and small dark blotches, often concentrated in ring around large end.
- Condition at Hatching
- Covered with black down and can move about on land.
Nest Description
Shallow scrape in sand, soil, or gravel. Placed in cavity, crevice, or burrow, usually in cliff or boulder fields.
Nest Placement
Cliff
Behavior
Surface Dive
Dives under water to capture prey, using its wings to swim.
Conservation
Least Concern
There is little information on population trends of Pigeon Guillemot, but numbers appear stable. The North American Waterbird Conservation Plan estimates a continental population of less than 69,000 breeding birds, rates the species a 13 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, and lists it as a Species of Moderate Concern. This species is not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List. Pigeon Guillemot numbers declined due to oil pollution and disturbance from humans and livestock in early 1900s, and probably by food shortages during warm-water years.
Credits
- Ewins, P. J. 1993. Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba). In The Birds of North America, No. 49 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists’ Union.
- Kushlan, J.A., et al. 2002. Waterbird conservation for the Americas: the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, version 1. Waterbird Conservation for the Americas. Washington, DC.
- North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee. 2014. State of the Birds 2014 Report. U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, DC.
- USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 2015. Longevity records of North American Birds.